HB 20-1231 Summary

• Authorizes local education providers (school districts, charter schools, boards of cooperative services) to establish grow your own educator programs allowing high school students to earn college credit toward education degrees through concurrent enrollment, dual enrollment, early college, or P-TECH pathways.

• Creates $5,000 grow your own educator scholarships for higher education students who have completed at least the final 24 credit hours of an education degree and agree to work as educators in Colorado public schools, with priority given to program participants completing field work in their home districts or committing to teach in shortage areas or rural districts.

• Modifies teacher of record licenses to allow applicants in Colorado-approved preparation programs employed by local education providers experiencing critical teacher shortages to obtain licensure without requiring proof that no other licensed applicants have applied.

• Directs Colorado Commission on Higher Education to negotiate statewide degree transfer agreements by July 1, 2022 for educator preparation programs (elementary, secondary, early childhood, special education, speech pathology, occupational therapy, world languages, mathematics, science, and STEM) that apply to credits regardless of 2-year or 4-year institution completion or transfer.

• Removes the grow your own educator program from the list of programs scheduled for repeal on September 1, 2023.